WINTERIZING YOUR PET

When temperatures and snow fall, your pet needs a little extra care to make it through the winter.

...Dogs and cats need protection from wet and cold. Cats are best kept inside when it gets cold, as are most small and short-haired dogs. Pets ears and paws can suffer from frostbite quickly when temperatures drop below zero. An out door dog nneds a dry, elevated dog house with clean, dry bedding that doesn't hold moisture and freeze. Hay makes a good insulator with a blanket or dog bed on top. A flap over the opening of a dog house to keep out drafts will help a dog stay warm. Flaps can be made out of heavy plastic, or carpet scraps. (Nail the peice over the door, making sure to cut it in strips so the dog can push through when it stiffens from the cold). Bring dogs in when the temperature drops. Dogs left outside all day and night, even with the protection of dog houses will suffer from the cold. Make sure the dog house is not too large for the dog. Remember, the dog's body heat is what keeps the house warm. If it's too large, he can't do the job. For that reason, an unheated porch or garage is not adequate shelter for an animal when it's below freezing. Many dogs have frozen to death in sheds and garages. Block off a small section and put a dog bed, blankets or a soft cushion on top of a bed of hay for the animal to keep warm.

...A bowl of frozen water can't help a thirsty pet. Check outdoor water bowls often when it's below freezing, and break the ice or refill with water as necessary.

...Outdoors dogs need more calories in the winter to produce body heat. So increase the amount of food you feed your pet (feed them twice a day instead of once). On the other hand, indoor animals may get less exercise in the cold months, and will need fewer calories to avoid weight gain.

...Chemicals used to melt snow on sidewalks and driveways can burn and irritate pets' paws, so wipe them with a wet cloth after a walk. Dogs outside in the snow need the ice between their paw pads removed.

...Antifreeze tastes good to pets but is deadly poisen. Spilled antifreeze or radiator drainage spots in the garage should be flushed with water immediately. Keep supplies of antifreeze up on a shelf away from an animal's "licking" reach.

...A cat may crawl up under your car for shelter and warmth near the engine. It could get caught in the fan and seriously injured when you start your car. Open the hood of your car or slap it noisily on the hood with your hand before starting the engine to startle any animal sleeping there.

...Note: Winter can be a brutal time for stray and abandoned animals. They not only lack shelter, but don't have adequate food to generate body heat. They often freeze to death. BE KIND TO STRAYS, DON'T IGNORE THEM EHEN YOU SEE THEM. FEED THEM. TRY TO LEASH THEM OR KEEP THEM IN YOUR GARAGE OF CELLAR AND CALL YOUR LOCAL ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER OR THE MSPCA. Thank you.